A Mom, Speaker, Author, and Nonprofit Founder
After 30 years as a marketing executive in the software industry, I now help women break free from outdated rules and limiting beliefs about motherhood. Today, I lead a thriving blended family in Austin, Texas.
Getting here wasn't easy.
A Life of Success… with One Missing Piece
I spent my early adult years chasing—and achieving—what so many women are taught to want: career success, financial freedom, and a life full of adventure. I was independent, thriving, and grateful. The only thing that remained elusive was the right partner. I believed the feminist promise that I had plenty of time for motherhood… until time started whispering otherwise.
Trying to Force the Fairytale
By my mid-30s, the ticking of my biological clock became impossible to ignore. I rushed into a relationship that I hoped would deliver the family I longed for, even though it didn’t feel right. At 40, I was hit with a heartbreaking truth: my fertility prospects were fading, and the fairytale I imagined wasn’t coming true the way I thought it would.
A Decade of Disappointment and an Awakening
What followed was a ten-year journey through the emotional labyrinth of fertility treatments, IVF cycles, and donor paths. I experienced setbacks that shattered me, including multiple losses that nearly made me give up. But I kept going—and slowly, I came to understand that if I was going to become a mother, I’d have to break the traditional fairy tale and do it on my own.
Getting the Family I Dreamed Of
And then, my miracle arrived. First, my beautiful daughter. Then, my sweet son. Against all odds, I finally held in my arms the family I wanted for so long. I wasn’t just a mother—I was a mother on my own terms. And I had never felt more complete.
A Legal Battle I Never Saw Coming
In 2019, just when I thought the hard part was behind me, I was blindsided. My estranged husband—whom I had been separated from for seven years—tried to claim legal fatherhood of my son, conceived using an anonymous sperm donor. What followed was a landmark custody battle in Texas that tested everything in me. After six excruciating months and $250,000 in legal fees, I emerged victorious. But I knew I wasn’t the only woman who needed to be protected.
A Mission Born from Pain & Purpose
Today, my life’s mission is to help women navigate the journey to motherhood—proactively, powerfully, and with their eyes wide open. Whether partnered or solo, no woman should feel confused or ashamed for wanting a child.
I wrote Mission: Motherhood—a raw, real, and hopeful account of my journey—to give women the honesty and encouragement I wish I had when I started. I also founded the nonprofit, Cheri’s Choice, to provide education, support, and community for women considering nontraditional paths to parenthood.
Through public speaking and group workshops, I help women rewrite the rules and build the families they were meant to have.